After two losses to Princeton, Rutgers looking to reverse fortunes against 'neighbors to the south'

After falling to Rutgers for the second year in a row last season, the Scarlet Knights are bringing a chip on their shoulder to Jadwin Gym Friday night.Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK
Rutgers remembers.

Ten of the 13 players who will put on a uniform tonight do. So does the head coach. And his three assistant coaches. So too, does the operations staff and the guys who cut the video clips. Every single one of them remembers the helpless feeling from last Dec. 7, watching Princeton's Ian Hummer glide to the rim for a runner and a 59-57 Tigers win on their home floor.

"I know there's an edge with the coaching staff," Rutgers' Mike Rice said following Monday's win over Sacred Heart. "Princeton's a tremendous program -- it's not like we're playing Little Sisters of the Poor here. They're a tremendous program. But yeah, they're our neighbors to the south and we have to start to become successful."

Rice has coached two games now against Princeton, with Friday night's tilt being No. 3. He's done it against two different coaches -- Sydney Johnson and Mitch Henderson -- with two different teams and ended up with the same sour result. For some reason, Rice has not been able to crack the mystery that has been Princeton.

It's somewhat puzzling, even inside of its own locker room, why Rutgers hasn't been able to beat the Tigers the last two years. It's had success (without the wins) against Georgetown the last two years, losing by nine in 2010-11 and then by two last season. They Hoyas run virtually the same type of system -- and with more highly-recruited talent -- that Princeton does, so what's the problem?

"I feel like a lot of stuff here, you have to experience it for yourself," senior forward Austin Johnson said. "Coach said that they prey on the mentally weak. They'll take up the whole shot clock and try and get people back-door and stuff like that. So you just have to key in for the whole shot clock."

That's the most frustrating part for the Scarlet Knights. They know exactly what needs to be accomplished in order to win and yet, have not been able to carry it through when the ball is tipped for real.

But perhaps there is a silver lining in the ugly start to this season for Rutgers. The Princeton game is usually the first time Rutgers experiences a break from the normal offensive and defensive styles of college basketball and it can take a team by surprise. However, Rutgers has already played a plodding offensive team that is patient in trying to get the best shot it can in Saint Peter's last week.

While hardly anybody would confuse the precise and methodical Princeton offense with the slow and muddled one of the Peacocks, the Scarlet Knights have already experienced a game of frustration this season. Saint Peter's repeatedly took a bulk of time off the shot clock on possessions -- particularly late in the game -- looking for a perfect shot.

"I feel like that will definitely help us," Johnson said. "Particularly because of the scout that we just had. We really, really dove into this (Princeton) scout and want to keep that rolling for scouts to come."

Will it work? We'll find out Friday night at Jadwin Gym. If preparation and readiness aren't enough, Rutgers will undoubtedly turn back to the one thing it can't forget: The last two years.

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ABOUT THE TIGERS
Not since the mid-to-late-90s has Princeton won three straight games in this series against its rival from up north on Route 1. The main reason they have a chance to do that Friday night is because of Ian Hummer. The senior forward from Vienna, Va. is no secret anymore around the country. In his breakout year last season, he upended Rutgers in the final seconds on the road at the RAC. He's versatile, smart and uses his body terrificly for someone his size.

Princeton though, enters this game nursing wounds of its own. Just like Rutgers' own stunning defeat at home on opening night, the Tigers blew an 18-point second half lead to Northeastern on Tuesday night. The Tigers were uncharacteristically lax on defense -- especially in the second half.